The Twelve Days of Christmas
by MySlashyFriend
Summary: Twelve days that changed privileged and underachieving Edward Cullen's life. Slash with a touch of crack. For Telrracs - Merry Christmas, bb. And Happy Holidays everyone!


_**This was written as a gift for Telrracs for WA Rehab's Secret Santa. Merry Christmas, bb. I hope you enjoyed!**_

**_SMeyer owns Twilight. Still._**

. . . . .

**The 12 Days of Christmas **

. . . . .

**For some people, the twelve days of Christmas is a period of religious celebration, stretching from Christmas day until Epiphany Eve on January the fifth. Some light candles, some give gifts, others take the time to reflect upon the wonderful life that God has bestowed upon them.**

**The Cullens celebrate in a far more unconventional way. They throw daily parties exhibiting their extreme wealth and the impressive event management skills of their only daughter, Alice. Everyone who attends has a memorable time and speaks of it for years. Everyone, that is, except for the youngest and least successful Cullen son—Edward. He always found the festivities to be repetitive and tiresome.**

**But one year, that all changed.**

. . . . .

**Day One**

Edward settled himself into his comfortable, reclining office chair and opened up the morning ritual folder on his PC. It was definitely feeling like a hardcore sort of morning—Christmas usually had that effect upon him. Soon, he would have to go and spend time with his family and their select group of stuck-up friends, but for now, he was going to indulge in his own Christmas present.

Edward never really enjoyed pornographic movies. He was hyper-critical of almost every aspect: realism, soundtrack, camera angle, script. It was all too distracting for him and he found it difficult to lose himself in the stimulation. He'd since found that he preferred photos—images of sexual acts. He never felt the need to judge the legitimacy of the situation when viewing those, and thus, found them far more arousing.

About a year ago, he'd started making himself slide shows. They were all based on themes: butts, penetration, black and white, anal, blow jobs, softcore, hardcore, degradation—the list went on. Today was his favorite and therefore, least used. It was kept for special occasions—those days when he knew he'd need the extra loving.

He selected the hardcore file and muted it, preferring today to listen to his own heavy breathing rather than the song he'd selected to go with the reel. Hardcore was a combination of everything that got him particularly hot. It ran as a progression, the stuff that he liked to see, to the stuff that made him explode. There was nothing nice in this folder; it was hardcore, some of it even degrading, all of it arousing. So far, he'd never once lasted until the end.

It began.

Blow jobs. He always liked looking at blow jobs. Girls on their knees, lips wrapped around a huge, erect penis. He loved cum on their faces and in their hair...

Anal sex. Girls bent over and dicks buried deep in them. The guys' faces always looked supreme in these shots, like they couldn't believe how good it felt to be fucking a girl in the ass. When the picture changed to a girl sucking a guy off while another one was doing her from behind, Edward really started to get turned on.

Threesomes. Two girls and a guy, or two guys and a girl—he wasn't fussy about the pairing, just so long as there were three. Lots of mouths on dicks and pussies. Lots of fingers or dicks in orifices. The final image showed a pussy with a dick in each hole. His breathing became strained.

Blow jobs again, only this time, it was always two guys. He liked to see the expressions in these, the agony and ecstasy on their faces as they held off from coming. Delicious torture. The last picture in this sequence was of a tall, shaggy blond, his eyes peaking up to watch the face of the huge man he was blowing. Edward shifted his hand to slow himself down.

Anal sex. Guys screwing guys. Lots of guys screwing guys. On their backs, on their fronts, against walls, in beds, outdoors. Edward picked up his pace again, not having the will to put off coming much longer.

Threesomes. All men. He came as soon as the first image appeared on his screen, shuddering long after he'd finished, watching a few more images until he was spent.

He closed down the file and set about cleaning himself up. Then he went to the kitchen to make himself some coffee.

. . . . .

"Edward, so glad you finally bothered to show up." Alice greeted him with air kisses when he found her near the bar. Every year, she put together these parties, spending ludicrous sums of their parent's money in an attempt to impress the few people that were not already in awe of the Cullen name. "There are people I want you to meet. Walk with me."

Edward grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and followed. What she really wanted was his help in winning someone over. Edward didn't do anything impressive for a living, but his looks made him a valuable accessory for the family. He was intelligent, a genius really, but an unproductive and underachieving one. He wasn't useful for many things, but somehow, Alice always managed to find something for him to do.

Alice made a beeline for the room they'd set aside for smokers where he saw a small group of people standing apart from the crowd. Edward caught up to Alice easily and she muttered quietly to him, "They're this group that are interested in buying Daddy's company and we're supposed to be looking after them. It's a bit fucking hard though, when they continue to ostracize themselves. I can't spend all day over there talking to them, so I need you to do it for me."

Edward smirked to himself, satisfied that he had just been given a fairly easy role for the evening. They approached the group with smiles on their faces.

"Ah, I found you. I wanted to introduce my brother, Edward—Carlisle's second son. Edward, this is Peter and Charlotte, the owners of Newborn Inc., and Jasper, their business strategist." Alice smiled with dazzling precision whilst making the introductions.

"Pleased to meet you," Edward greeted the owners, employing the best smile from his own arsenal. The woman—Charlotte—looked suitably affected, which made Edward more than a little self-satisfied. "And you, too," he turned to the strategist and for a split second, lost his perfect demeanor when he recognized him.

"Nice to meet you, Edward," The tall blond commented as he held his hand out to shake.

_Those eyes_

Edward knew those eyes—this morning he had jacked off to them. The shaggy blond hair, the cheek bones, the mouth. It was _him_.

Edward quickly recovered, realizing this was not the place, nor time, to reveal his revelation. He calmly and confidently took the proffered hand, silently thanking his perfect recall for the name Alice had mentioned. "Nice to meet you, too, Jasper." They shook hands, Jasper smiling at Edward in a friendly manner, seemingly oblivious to the morally questionable thoughts Edward was having about his lips.

For the next hour, Edward talked to the threesome. He was charming, of course, innocently flirting with Charlotte and befriending the men—endearing them to the Cullen name. His mind was very active, though, filled with constant inappropriate images of Jasper on his knees, continually wondering about Jasper's involvement in that industry. He was definitely a business strategist—Edward had questioned him enough to know that to be true—but was he also some kind of porn model? God knows he had the looks. Edward speculated that perhaps there were more images out there and made a mental note to check when he returned home.

At one point, Charlotte nudged Jasper in the ribs playfully, in line with a joke she had just told, and it set off a whole other tangent for Edward's thoughts. Perhaps they were all involved? Edward appraised Peter and Charlotte, noting how they were both exceptionally good-looking. He almost began to imagine what all three of them would do together but sensibly stopped himself. Those thoughts would have to wait until he returned home.

After the hour, they began to indicate they were getting ready to leave.

"Are you returning tomorrow?" Edward asked. Many of their guests were present for all twelve days of celebrations.

"I'm afraid Peter and I are flying out to spend some time with his family. But thank you for the invitation," Charlotte responded politely.

Edward smiled, and then turned his charm on Jasper. "And what about you, Jasper? Will you be making it to Day Two of Alice Cullen's festivities?"

Jasper got a very calculating look on his face, and Edward briefly worried he had somehow inadvertently upset him. But then the look softened. "Sure, I'd love to come."

Edward was certain there was a spark.

"Wonderful. Tomorrow is lobster day—you'll love it."

Edward walked with them to find Alice, and then relinquished his duties to her. He then disappeared to his car, making yet another mental note to send Alice an apology text, later. He didn't want her whiney voice to interfere with the thoughts he was currently having.

That night, Edward beat off to the images in his mind: Jasper being fucked from behind by Peter, while Charlotte took his cock in her mouth. It was his best self-induced orgasm to date.

. . . . .

**Thus began the most important Twelve Days of Christmas in Edward's life: a handsome man, a raging libido, and to top it all off, a spark.**

**But were things as simple as they appeared?**

. . . . .

**Day Two**

Edward awoke knowing today that he was going to see Jasper. It was definitely another hardcore morning, and after making a quick adjustment to the content, he pleasured himself with wild abandon, music playing this time. When he was finished, he cleaned himself up and went to make coffee before getting ready for the second day of Cullen festive cheer.

Day Two was usually the quietest day, which is also why Alice served lobster. It was her attempt to lure more guests away from their families the day after Christmas. Anticipating a smaller crowd, lobster was always a seated affair, so Edward remained standing until he was certain he would be sitting next to the man he was interested in.

"Ahh, yet again we are graced with your presence, dear brother. How nice of you to say goodbye yesterday." Alice said as she sauntered up beside him.

"I never miss Day Two, Alice, you know that. Besides, I did send you a message."

"True, via text—how very classy of you." Her eyes followed Edward's as they again flashed to the entry. Too late, Edward realized he was being obvious. "So, why are you glancing toward the door every five seconds? Is there someone you're waiting on?"

Edward chuckled to hide his annoyance at her observation. "Actually, one of the group you had me talk to yesterday agreed to come by today. I'm simply keeping an eye out for him."

"Him?" she looked confused, but then a look of understanding lit her face. "Ahh, Jasper. He's cute isn't he?"

Edward's sexual preferences were never discussed within the family, but he was certain they all knew to some degree that he preferred men. Alice was the most intuitive Cullen and had always been more aware than the others, but even she tended to forget sometimes.

Edward gave her a condescending look out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't about to tell her what he thought. "Peter and Charlotte couldn't be here," he said, avoiding her question.

"There he is, now." Alice saw him first.

Edward's eyes snapped back to the entrance and watched as the blond-headed man made his way past people he didn't know. Alice waved just enough to get his attention.

"Morning," he greeted when he arrived. "You look lovely today Ms. Cullen." The smile he gave her was a little too friendly, almost playful.

"I can assure you, it's Miss." Alice offered her hand, which Jasper accepted and kissed briefly. Edward bit back his scoff when he saw that Jasper looked genuine; he really was flirting with his _female_ sister.

When Jasper released her hand, he turned to Edward. "Morning, Edward." They shook hands firmly, and Edward tried to pick up any sort of signal. There were none.

Perhaps it wasn't Jasper in that photo?

"Would you like to come and sit next to me, Jasper? We have lobster served three different ways. Our chef is especially talented with seafood." Alice stopped a drink waiter and proceeded to hand around the tall flutes. "For dessert we have something divine planned," she continued, then winked at Jasper while taking a sip of her drink.

The rest of the day continued in this fashion, Alice flirting shamelessly with Jasper, and he reciprocating. Edward seated himself on the other side of him at lunch, too curious for his own good. He surreptitiously watched how Jasper interacted with Alice, unable to find fault in his approach, and began to doubt whether he really was the type of guy to go down on his knees for men. When they became too much, Edward turned his attention to the attractive—though boring—lady from his father's Chicago offices seated on his other side. He carefully hid his annoyance and was secretly thankful when the meal ended.

Before he excused himself, he turned back to his sister and Jasper. "Alice, dear, I'm heading home now. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Alice smiled. "If you don't it will be at your trust fund's expense." He laughed half-heartedly at her threat, knowing it was unlikely she would ever do that.

What he really wanted to know was whether Jasper would also be returning. He waited a few seconds for him to offer the information, and when he didn't, Edward swallowed his frustration and straight out asked, "Will you be joining us again?"

Thankfully, Jasper didn't look surprised by the question. "Not tomorrow, no. I'm afraid I have to leave town for a few days. I may come to your New Year's Eve celebration though."

Edward did his best to keep a blank expression. "Then I guess I'll see you then." Again, he shook Jaspers hand, noting with interest the expression he wore, and then exchanged air kisses with Alice.

As he left the party, he wondered if he had imagined the spark from the day before, because there definitely wasn't one there now.

. . . . .

**Day 3**

Edward chose to forgo his normal morning ritual and instead spent the time searching for anything and everything there was to know about Jasper. The tiny spark that he'd seen on the first day was enough to convince him that he wasn't crazy—Jasper really was the man in the picture. Try as he might though, Edward couldn't find any more erotic images, or even any evidence that Jasper was gay.

He did find plenty of background stuff. He found out Jasper was from Texas, and then managed to trace him back to his college and even his high school. Jasper was sought after business strategist, and had worked for at least two other companies in a similar role, plus he held a steady junior position while he was studying.

_He didn't need the money..._

Edward had never really considered Jasper's motivation for blowing a guy at a photo shoot. On some level, he just assumed it was a paying job, but from what Edward had just read, Jasper had never been without income. It also seemed unlikely he'd ever had a drug problem—not with an employment record like that. Money did not appear to be the culprit.

So what else could it be?

Edward had a new notion and began searching frantically. He found a listing for a Texan photographer that specialized in erotic portraiture and went to her site. "Maria" was written in large, cursive text across the top of the page, and underneath was a tab for her galleries. Edward felt his heart rate pick up as he clicked through.

She had a lot of galleries. Edward quickly scanned the cover pictures, weeding out those that looked nothing like Jasper. There were pages and pages of albums and Edward was quickly running out of time before he had to leave for the family home. Just when he was about to give up, he saw him.

It was a similar shot to the one Edward already had, but this was more... evocative. Jasper was looking at the camera in this one, so there was no mistaking it was him, or that he had a giant cock in his mouth. Edward clicked through to the folder.

Many... so many photos of him, naked and entwined with a man Edward didn't recognize. They were all tasteful, and very erotic, showing every inch of his body in one way or other. Edward's hunch was being confirmed right before his eyes. Either Jasper or the other man had paid for the session and therefore, there was a very strong likelihood that Jasper found these images just as arousing as Edward did.

Edward looked at them all, and by the end of it, he was far too hard to think coherently. Already running late, he figured another few minutes wouldn't matter. With that decided, he went back to the very first picture, and beat off to both the image, and the satisfaction he felt from solving his mystery.

. . . . .

"You're lucky today is a cocktail event. If it had been seated, I would have had the waiters remove your setting by now." Alice was in a typically frosty mood, chastising Edward for being late yet again. She did seem to be even more irritable than usual though, and Edward now had a very good idea of why that was.

"How was the rest of your day with Jasper?" he asked pointedly, not even trying to hide the smirk on his face.

Alice gripped her cocktail glass hard, and chewed the inside of her lip. "He's a complete prude. He fled at the mere suggestion of a quick fuck in the pool house." She took a deep sip, swishing the liquid around her mouth before swallowing. "I'm seeing him again on day six."

Edward hid his surprise. When she'd begun talking he'd assumed he knew the real reason for why Jasper hadn't had his way with her. But if he truly wasn't interested in girls, why would he agree to another date?

. . . . .

**Day Four**

Three days of indulgence were catching up with Edward. After enjoying his morning ritual with his new favorite website, he skipped breakfast in preference of a run. It was a long run, too, and by the end of it, he felt energized and incredibly hungry. He showered and walked to a local cafe, knowing he needed to eat something. Day four was always an evening event, a form of test run for the lights that Alice would have someone strategically string up over the lawn and through the trees.

He drank espresso and devoured œufs en cocotte, before heading back to his apartment building and taking a much appreciated nap. By the time he woke up, it was well into the afternoon, so he dressed for the evening and left.

On the way, he pondered Jasper's behaviour with Alice. He quickly dispersed with the notion that he was simply being a gentleman in refusing Alice's advances. The man had posed for pornography, not something you do if you're interested in maintaining your chastity. Edward wanted to think that Jasper just wasn't interested in Alice, but if that were the case, why did he agree to a seeing her again? Could it be possible that he was just too timid to refuse? He decided to talk to Alice and find out what else Jasper had said.

Edward arrived and entered the family house, again having perfectly timed his entrance so that there were already many guests present. He didn't see Alice this time, instead spying his elder brother.

"Ah, little brother, how are you this evening?" Emmett bellowed loudly, his normal volume increased by the twenty-five year old scotch he was swilling in his glass. Edward signaled to a waiter to bring him one too.

"Couldn't be better. I can't see Alice around, where is she?"

"Something happened with the lights. She's barking orders at the staff trying to get them fixed before the sun goes down."

Edward nodded in understanding and waited impatiently for his scotch.

"I met a girl, last night," Emmett revealed.

"Really? Anyone I know?"

"I don't think so, otherwise you would already have tried to snatch her up. She's quite the looker." Emmett was not incorrect in his assumptions; Edward did find some women very attractive.

"I've been a little preoccupied lately," he admitted. "Good thing though, I guess. If I had of sunk my dick into her, there's no way she be content with you now, is there?" He smirked, the perfect picture of an asshole.

"I'm not so sure about that Eddie. This one needs girth." Emmett winked, completely unperturbed by Edward's attempt to infuriate him.

Edward chuckled and finally received the scotch he'd been waiting for. He raised his glass to Emmett slightly before taking a deep sip. Emmett reciprocated, but then his attention was drawn to something behind Edward. He turned to see, and had to admit that Emmett wasn't lying. The woman approaching was the finest specimen of the gender he'd ever seen. She had flowing blond hair and round, plump lips. She was wearing a low cut, off the shoulder cocktail dress, and all Edward could imagine was how she'd look with a pearl necklace.

"You should probably pick your jaw up before you meet her, Edward. She might mistake you for an idiot."

The woman smiled when she recognized Emmett and as she crossed the last few feet to where they were standing, Alice's lights finally came to life. The effect was a crowning halo of light reflecting off the spectacular woman in front of them. She was every heterosexual, pubescent boy's wet dream come to life.

Edward was certain no straight man could ever resist her.

. . . . .

**And so it was that on the fourth day of Christmas, Edward concocted a plan to help him determine who Jasper was most interested in. He resolved that if Jasper liked women, he would support his sister's quest for a pool house romp. If, however, it turned out that he was more inclined toward men, then Edward was going to launch his own pursuit.**

**He was very much looking forward to it.**

. . . . .

**Day Five**

Edward was excited for his plans with Rosalie. Although she wasn't really his type intellectually, she was still an enormous turn-on. She exuded sex and was definitely aware of that fact, never failing to draw attention to her breasts, or her mouth. By the end of the night, Edward had desperately wanted to fuck her.

They'd spent most of the evening together—all three of them, as Emmett obviously didn't feel secure enough in his girth to leave them alone. Edward had been as charming as he could be without making himself laugh, and had insisted Rosalie join them for New Year's Eve. Emmett had already invited her, but she'd reacted as though it was the first time she was asked. Edward had smirked at Emmett's expression.

On New Year's Eve, Edward would know for certain whether or not Jasper was gay.

He stretched in bed, mentally sifting through his files and deciding which one he would use this morning. As the image of flashed in his mind, he decided, then hurried out of bed to make use of his straining erection. Once he was comfortably seated in his office chair, Edward pleasured himself to his pearl necklace file, imagining it was Rosalie's long, sensual neck and cleavage in front of him.

When he was ready, he again made his way to the family home and spent the day with his parents. Thus, he managed to avoid his siblings and all possibility of conversing about their current partners who, he was now willing to admit, he found far too attractive.

. . . . .

**Day Six**

Day six was a bit of an event at the Cullen house. All the guests would gather for the traditional "Removing of the Christmas decorations." Of course, none of the guests actually did any of the work, apart from the gesture of removing the Christmas star from atop the tree. Mostly, they just stood inside the warm entertaining room, watching as the staff worked their way across the lawns, attempting to untangle baubles from the forest trees with their restrictive mittens. One-by-one, every shiny strand of tinsel was removed, transforming the estate from the picture of American Episcopalian holiday cheer, to sophisticated lounge bar.

That, in itself, was a sight to behold.

But Edward was far more interested in something else that was occurring. Day six was when Alice was going to see Jasper again.

After a usual morning of indulging in his blow job file, he'd arrived to find Alice in an actual panic. She was half dressed—by Alice standards—lacking any form of accessory.

"Pearls or choker?" she shouted at him. "I can't decide, Edward. Should I wear the choker, or the pearls?!" She was frantically brandishing the two pieces of jewelery at him, but all Edward could hear was "pearls" and he laughed in her face. "I'm serious!" she admonished.

"Choker," he spat out. "For all that is holy, the choker." There was no way he could look at her all day if she wore the other option.

Alice ran away off, hastily strapping the diamonds around her neck, while Edward recovered his composure.

When he was able, he went back to the entertaining room to mingle with the guests and await Jasper's arrival. Alice was definitely expecting him, so Edward was too, now. He waited, but it wasn't until Alice resurfaced that Jasper finally arrived.

"You made it," Alice said cheerily, her perfect facade firmly back in place.

"I wouldn't miss it," Jasper replied, and although Edward examined him for any trace of sarcasm, he found none. He couldn't decide if that was worse.

"Hello again, Jasper," he interjected.

"Edward, good to see you." The shook hands in the same, overtly masculine way they had before, firm and fast, no hint of any spark.

Next to him, Alice began to flirt—blatantly—and Edward felt as though his presence was no longer required. He would hear what happened from Alice, so there was no need to subject himself to the torture of watching them.

Besides, it was Jasper's reaction the next day that he was really interested in.

. . . . .

**Day Seven**

Alice had truly outdone herself with the decorations for the New Year's Eve celebration. There were lights everywhere and—in lieu of an actually fireworks display—a large projection screen was set up that progressively showed the celebrations from cities around the world to an unassuming soundtrack. Edward appreciated the tune and made a mental note that he should add it to his soft core file.

Edward found Emmett first and approached him, keeping his eyes peeled for Rosalie.

"Where is your lovely lady tonight, brother?" he asked.

"She's coming a little later on. Apparently she had to work today." Emmett showed his obvious confusion at the concept with a furrowed brow. "Who the hell works on New Year's Eve?"

"People do, Emmett. Lots of people do," he muttered to himself.

Alice appeared in the entryway, but it took a few moments for Edward to recognize her. She looked like a tramp, albeit a rich one. She sauntered across the room, her accentuated hips definitely more pronounced. Edward felt almost obscene watching her.

"You look nice, Alice," Emmett observed when she reached them.

"Thanks," she replied, reaching for the scotch in his hand and taking a deep swig. "I feel like a hooker, but it was the only thing I could think of to try."

"Jasper still being a prude?" Edward observed.

Alice took another sip. "He held my hand—that's all." She let out a small frustrated groan. "Anyone would think he was two hundred years old the way he behaves. I don't have the patience for that."

Emmett, always oblivious to the notion of tact, blurted out, "Maybe he's gay." Edward choked on his own drink and sent a worrying glance to Alice. He expected her to look offended; instead she looked... resigned?

"I'm starting to think the same thing—hence, the outfit." She indicated the ridiculously tight bodice and skirt.

Edward cleared his throat. "If you want, there's still time to change. I don't think it's necessary for you to have to look like that all night."

Alice looked hopeful for a moment, but then her expression fell. "No, I'm sick of not knowing."

"No, no, you misunderstand me. We'll still know by the end of tonight. Have you, by chance, met Rosalie?"

Alice's face lit up in understanding. "I take everything I've ever said back, Edward. You are a genius!"

. . . . .

By the time Jasper arrived, Rosalie was already present, wearing another deliciously low-cut dress and drinking her second cocktail—double strength. To Edward's chagrin, Jasper behaved exactly the same way he had when he'd first met Rosalie. His eyes grew wide and went straight to her chest, then lingered around her legs for a while, before belatedly returning to her face. He looked coy about being so obvious, and then tried to appear completely unaffected. Alice raised her eyebrows at Edward, silently communicating that she thought he'd passed the sexuality test, but Edward still wasn't convinced.

After all, it was the same reaction the he'd had.

Rosalie was a tremendous flirt. She touched too much, pawing whenever the opportunity arouse, even when it didn't. And the trait only intensified the more she had to drink. After her fourth, she was being very friendly with Jasper.

"I just can't tell," Alice whispered to Edward whilst holding her glass in front of her mouth. "I can't decide if he's uncomfortable because Rosalie is coming on to him, or if it's just because it's in front of me."

Edward pondered what she'd said and had to agree. It was too difficult to tell while Alice was still around. He piped up so the others could hear him, "Oh, Alice, I almost forgot to tell you. The head chef said they may not be able to serve the raspberry soufflés this evening."

Alice almost bristled, but thankfully caught on to what Edward was doing when he clued her in with a wink. She still got upset, but at least Edward knew it was just for show.

After Alice left to spy from a safe distance, Edward turned his attention back to how Jasper was handling the situation with Rose. He was amazed by how stoically he tolerated her invasion of his personal space, and how he managed to keep his eyes trained on hers. Any other man would have stared at her breasts, probably slobbering a bit in the process. The straight ones wouldn't be able to help themselves, and any self-respecting gay man who wanted to be thought of as straight knows you have to stare at boobs to be convincing. Maybe it was Emmett's presence that was causing the restraint?

He couldn't ask Emmett to leave—that would be too obvious—so he did the next best thing.

He asked Rose if she'd like another drink, and ran his hand down her back, not too suggestively, but a little. As he did so, he carefully gauged Jasper's reaction. For the briefest moment there was the hint of desire on his face, then he swallowed and it was gone. He definitely noticed.

So did Emmett. "I think I can handle getting my Rose here a drink, Edward."

"Of course you can," Edward replied, backing away from Rosalie. He would have been annoyed with Emmett staking his claim like that, but he'd already achieved his goal. Jasper definitely desired Rose, and now Edward just had to find Alice and give her the good news.

. . . . .

The party ran late into the night, well past the countdown, and well past the point when most of them should have gone to bed. Edward watched with good-humored amusement as Emmett took Rosalie to his room, while Alice continued to drop hints for Jasper to do that same. Eventually Jasper succumbed, and they disappeared upstairs.

Edward considered going home but decided he was too damn tired. His parents still kept his old bedroom made up for him, so he also made his way upstairs. As he lay down in his childhood bed, he couldn't help but feel disappointed that he didn't have anyone to share it with and a little jealous that both of his siblings did. So he jerked off to thoughts of Rosalie's ass and Jasper's lips, and after cleaning himself up, fell into a deep, drunken sleep.

. . . . .

**Could it be that all is sound in the Cullen house? Have the others found their better halves and has Edward accepted that fate?**

**Of course not!**

. . . . .

**Day Eight**

Day eight was always hangover day. Not once in Edward's adult existence had he welcomed the New Year without a headache. He was used to it now though, and headed straight down to family room to attend to his remedy.

Scotch. Straight scotch. It was what he'd been drinking the night before, and through experience had found that if he drank it again first thing, the rest of the day didn't hurt as much. He also needed food so that his stomach could handle it. If he were at his home he would have just ordered some take-out. But he was at his parent's house now, and they had a live in chef.

"What do you have in the way of grease?" he asked the man flitting around the kitchen.

"Edward, no!" Came a voice from behind him. Alice was in her robe, hair askew from product and badly angled sleep, face pale and wan without its usual coating of make-up. "You can't eat that. We have a cleansing menu today."

Edward scoffed at her as she poured herself some fresh juice from the jug on the counter. "I don't need cleansing, I need grease." Again, Edward took in Alice's appearance and he realized she never looked that bad. "I take it he didn't stay last night."

She shot a look toward the chef, then led the way back to the family room. Once there, Alice flopped down into an armchair and braced her sore head with her hands.

"You said he'd be interested."

"No, I _said_ that he could be interested. He reacted to Rosalie, so he can be attracted to women," he explained.

"I don't think so, Edward. If that man wanted pussy he could have had it last night. Several times. He's gay, gay, gay."

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge, sister dear. Perhaps you're just not his type?" Edward couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. Seeing Alice so disheveled was... amusing.

She noticed the smirk. "Do you enjoy keeping pertinent information from me? That's exactly the sort of thing that doesn't make you clever, Edward, it makes you an asshole."

At that Edward laughed. "In my defense, I don't know for certain that he is the other way inclined—I really did think he was interested in Rose."

"Oh yes, great job with that one. It was probably you he was getting all hot and bothered about."

Edward contemplated what she'd said, and felt the first stirrings of hope. If Alice was convinced that Jasper was a pool house dead end, that meant Edward was now free to pursue him. He fervently hoped that Alice's intuition was correct.

"Am I right in assuming that you will no longer be pursuing the man?" he asked. Alice rolled her eyes in response, not deigning to voice an answer. "Wonderful. And now I must ask, would you be at all inclined to assist me in my own pursuit?"

She raised her eyebrows. Not used to discussing his sexual preferences, Edward worried for a moment that Alice was about to make some kind of announcement. "Why, did I just hear you ask me for a favour? With all that you can offer in return, how could I possibly resist?" she answered him sarcastically.

Edward smiled at her joke, and silently breathed a sigh of relief that she was going to help him.

With that settled, they went about the rest of the day, drinking to numb their aching heads, eating to try and satisfy their stomachs, and counting the minutes until they could forget the facade and sleep the rest of the day away.

. . . . .

**Day Nine**

Edward had decided that this was the day he would find out for certain if there was ever any possibility that he could be with Jasper. He didn't even bother with pleasuring himself, figuring he'd need the extra incentive of an unsatisfied libido to achieve his goal.

Day nine was when the Cullen family glowed. Free from hangovers, they were capable of celebrating the beginning of the New Year in style. Trust funds holding the oldest money paid out a yearly stipend, which Alice personally celebrated by drinking vintage champagne she'd had shipped in just for the occasion. It was also their busiest celebration day as almost every connection, social and business, was back in town and able to attend.

Crowds of people filled the Cullen's entertaining room dressed in colorful warmth. Waiters efficiently snaked their way between guests, ensuring they were never without drink or food. Fake smiles reigned, as did worthless words, and both increased as the liquor flowed.

Edward stood with his father close to the fire place, Carlisle strategically placing himself there so it was less likely his arthritis would cause him trouble.

"They've decided to buy," he confided to Edward. "But not at our price. Apparently they would have to move their existing operations here and they wish to factor in the expense that would involve."

"That's ridiculous," Edward spat. "They can't expect you to pay for that."

"I know, I know. I've already turned them down. As much as I need to sell this business, it would set a bad precedent if I accepted that offer. We'll see what they come back with next." He took a deep sip, then surveyed the room once more. "In the meantime, see if you can get a bearing on their man—Jasper." Carlisle shifted, making the tiniest grimace and Edward wondered how uncomfortable he must get, standing around for hours on end at his age. He knew that Carlisle would never take a seat though—would never want to show any form of weakness. He respected his father for that.

"I'll do what I can." He lifted his glass in salute before leaving to find Jasper.

. . . . .

The room was too crowded and Edward had to stop and deflect social climbers every which way he turned. As he searched, he considered the offer that Jasper had made his father. It seemed so contrary for him to be friendly with himself and Alice, only to then turn around and demand something so ludicrous. The Jasper he met and knew would never be so rash, or stupid to think that they'd ever consider it. It was like a different person. ...

Edward stopped in his tracks, surprising the old woman he was now standing next to.

Jasper was using them.

He was getting them onside, charming and winning them over, just as Edward had been instructed to do to him. Edward laughed and received a worried look from the lady for it.

"Pardon me," he said in an assuring tone, before continuing on his way.

He finally found Jasper at the other end of the room, intently discussing something with an attractive brunette. As soon as Edward caught sight of him, he realized skipping his morning wank was probably not the best idea. Jasper looked... golden. Edward approached, determined to confront him about his revelation.

Jasper's face brightened when he noticed Edward and he smiled, looking pleased and relieved to see him. Edward reminded himself it was probably all just a show.

When he reached them, he threw a dazzling smile at the woman, apologizing, "Could you please excuse us." He gently grabbed Jasper's arm and began to steer him away.

"Good to see you again, Edward."

"We need to talk." Edward didn't bother trying to be charming. He wanted to be direct, forceful. He wanted to _know_.

The Cullen library was next to the entertaining room, so he took Jasper in there, closing the door behind them quietly.

"You're demanding moving costs be subtracted from the purchase price?" he asked straight away.

"Your father was not supposed to divulge that information to anyone," he answered automatically.

"I'm his son—"

"—But not the chairman or a director of the company."

Edward laughed at that. The directors were his father, his mother, and Emmett. Jasper was making out as if they were some kind of exclusive group. He was obviously trying to deflect.

"It doesn't matter," Edward pointed out, "because now I've figured out what you're doing. You're manipulating us, but it won't work. I don't care how nice you are to my sister or to me." As Edward talked, he watched Jasper's expression fall, and began to doubt the conclusion he'd reached. "That's what you're doing, isn't it," he added, still maintaining his forceful tone.

"No." Jasper shook his head emphatically. "That's not even close." He looked down, seemingly ashamed. "I would never use you that way, or Alice. It's just... I want to move here." He scratched at his chin uncomfortably. "Maria and Peter, they would only agree to local operations if it fits within their budget. Right now, outsourcing is a much more viable option, but if I could eliminate the costs associated with the move, then they'd have to agree." He peeped at Edward now, just briefly, before returning his eyes to the floor. "Please don't tell anyone," he asked.

Edward had been wrong—so very, very wrong. Jasper wasn't trying to cut his company a better deal; he was trying to work the transaction to his own benefit.

"Why would you do that?" he asked.

Jasper looked pained. "Do I really have to say it?" He shuffled awkwardly back and forth on his feet, looking like he was silently debating whether to leave. He stopped finally and looked back at Edward then gestured between them, appearing too mortified to put what he was saying into actual words.

Edward was dumbfounded. "Really?" he asked. For over a week he'd been trying to find out if Jasper could ever like him. _Why didn't I just ask?_

"Really," Jasper confirmed, again chancing a look. Edward smiled broadly at him, unable to contain himself at finally knowing—and _liking_—the answer. Jasper returned it sheepishly, looking damn cute. Edward decided he liked it when Jasper was timid.

"You should have said something," Edward prompted. The only problem with Jasper being this way was that they weren't already fucking. He took a step closer, wanting to finally touch him.

Jasper didn't flinch, which gave Edward the confidence to continue. When he was right in front of Jasper, he reached out and boldly touched him, running his hand up Jasper's neck and gripping his head. He exuded Cullen confidence as he drew their faces together and kissed those lips that had starred in almost every fantasy he'd had over the past nine days.

Jasper responded enthusiastically, throwing himself into the kiss and removing any remaining doubt in Edward's mind that he really did want this. His lips were as soft as Edward had imagined, and he tasted like man and whiskey and it was just what Edward desired. His mouth moved on to his cheeks, feeling the finest beginnings of stubble and running it against his skin. Jasper breaths turned to pants against Edward's ear, so he began to feel his way down.

Jasper was large, but Edward already knew that. "I've seen this," he told him, forcefully rubbing his palm up and down Jasper's bulge.

"I figured," Jasper admitted, his words as uneven as his breath from Edward's strong strokes. His face was drenched in lust, his cock straining in his pants.

"Now I want to feel it." He returned to kissing Jasper while their fingers released clothing, exploring the skin beneath. Edward stroked Jasper teasingly, wanting nothing more than to draw out their first encounter. The last of their clothing was removed and both stood before each other in naked glory. Before Edward could even wish for it, Jasper was on his knees in front of him, the exact image of Edward's dreams.

He tried to stifle his anticipatory groan, but it quietly escaped him as soon as he felt Jasper's breath. At the feel of his warm, wet mouth he let out far more embarrassing noises. Jasper moved expertly, and Edward watched, transfixed by the image, committing every aspect of it to memory, wishing he had it recorded. The noises Jasper was making against him made it all the more erotic, every slurp and grunt making him even more aroused.

Edward was close, closer than he wanted to be so he tried to hold off. But then Jasper looked up, lust clearly evident on his face, and it was the epitome of Edward's fantasy. That simple look drove him into a frenzy and he repeatedly pushed himself into Jasper's mouth, showing no restraint in seeking his release.

He came—_hard_—groaning as Jasper swallowed around him.

Jasper stood up afterward, and Edward, high from the contentment that only comes from the fulfillment of his wildest dream, was slow to offer to reciprocate. Jasper was already reaching for his briefs by the time he thought of it.

"Wait." He reached toward Jasper, who did flinch away this time.

"We should go back," Jasper muttered while pushing his painfully swollen dick into his underwear.

"What? No. We should stay here."

"I have to get back in there," Jasper added, hastily pulling on his trousers and buckling his belt.

Edward was still naked, and very much so bare. "But I'll see you later, right?"

"Of course." The shirt was back in place, and Edward, lost for something to do, reached down and grabbed Jasper's tie, then looped it around his neck and folded the collar down over it. He was right in front of Jasper's face, and yet, Jasper wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Why won't you look at me?"

Jasper's eyes climbed to Edward's chin, and then finally, he did meet his gaze. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry, but I can't." He bent down for his shoes, but Edward yanked him back up.

"What do you mean? You just did do it. And I was under the impression that we were going to do it again."

Jasper looked upset. "I can't get involved with you. You're business. And by the time that business is finished, I'll be leaving. It's... unethical."

Had Jasper not looked so earnest, Edward would have snorted. Instead, he ran his hand up and down Jasper's back comfortingly and tried to understand.

Once he was no longer business, they could be together. But once business was completed, Jasper would be gone. Therefore, if he was somehow able to stay, then they could be together. Suddenly, the deal Jasper had offered Carlisle looked far more appealing.

Would it be so bad to accept? Sure, it wasn't customary, and it would make future sales more difficult to negotiate in the Cullen Company's favour. But, Carlisle needed the loss. Surely a bigger loss could only be a good thing?

"Let me talk to my father," he said to Jasper, whose only reaction was an almost silent, disbelieving snort. Edward watched him put his shoes on and left, hoping he'd never have to see that again.

. . . . .

***fans self***

. . . . .

**Day Ten**

Carlisle and Esme stood amongst a crowd of well-wishers, sipping from crystal champagne flutes after just toasting the success of the contract. In reality, it was not an ideal outcome for Carlisle. They'd be unable to hide the exact sum that had sold the subsidiary for, but hopefully by not making anything official, they could at least leave it open to conjecture. Carlisle now had his loss, substantially higher than it was going to be, and had rid himself of a company that he was no longer interested in running.

Edward's eyes travelled to look at the face next to them. Jasper was grinning from ear to ear, obviously happy with the way things had panned out for him. He was now guaranteed to be able to move here, and Edward was already looking forward to that. He watched Jasper laugh and shake hands and how he played his part perfectly. For the briefest moment, his eyes met Edward's, but he looked away quickly, probably trying not to be too obvious.

Sensing that Jasper needed his "business" time, Edward retreated to the party, mingling until he saw him break away from the crowd and head for the bathroom. He followed him.

The Cullen's had two elaborate bathrooms, one off either end of the entertaining room. This was the men's room, and it had several stalls and basins. Thankfully, it was empty, so Edward was able to talk.

"I hear everything went well," he said, catching Jasper before he went into the stall.

Jasper jumped slightly, obviously not aware that it had been Edward who'd come in after him. "Yes, it did. Do I have you to thank for that?"

Edward grinned. "You do. How about dinner—to celebrate? We can go after we're finished here. I feel like Japanese food, how about you?"

Jasper seemed hesitant. "Ah, tonight's not a good time for me." He looked a little nervous as he said it, and Edward's curiosity was piqued.

"When is a good time?" His voice sounded cold.

"Look, I really have to take a leak," Jasper admitted, then turned and walked into the stall, slamming the door loudly. Edward heard the lock slide into place.

Edward may not be able to read minds, but he knew that was not the reaction a man with a crush should be having. Jasper should have been all over him as soon as there was no one else around, and he should definitely want to go to dinner.

As he stared at the door Edward had a sinking realization that Jasper was not suffering from a crush.

The strategist had managed to get what he wanted, and it was quite clearly not him. Edward felt his rage brewing, and briefly considered giving it free rein, showing his fury at what Jasper had done. Some part of his brain reminded him of his parents celebrating, and he decided against it, not wanting to ruin their night.

So instead, he channelled all his rage into two simple words. "Fuck you," he said to the door, and then left without waiting for a reply.

. . . . .

**Poor Edward. Alas, not everyone knows everything, a fact Edward is in the process of learning. **

**Is it possible that Jasper can still redeem himself?**

. . . . .

**Day Eleven**

When Edward awoke the next morning, he didn't want to get out of bed. He'd come home the night before and had drunk himself into a stupor. He had vague memories of deleting all of Jasper's pictures from his hard drive, or was that _all_ of his pictures? God he hoped not. Nothing helped him fall back to sleep when he had a hangover more than some pleasurable self love.

More bits and prices came back to him from the night before. He'd been melodramatic, that's for sure. He winced as he had a brief memory of crying. _Really? _It had to have been the booze.

Jasper came, made Edward come, and now he was gone. Edward reminded himself that no feelings are forever—everything is fleeting. A few moments could never be enough to justify a mourning period, or even a second thought. Yet he couldn't help feeling angry and mistreated whenever he thought about what had happened.

He wondered if he should even go to his parent's house today. The hangover would be enough to make him shit company, but add in how irritable he was because of Jasper, and no one would want to be around him.

He imagined the text he could send Alice:

_Dearest Sister, I know that you had planned on having me charm the Governor's daughter tonight, but I am unfortunately unavailable due to an unforeseeable case of bitter spite._

Yes, that would work wonders.

Edward pulled himself out of bed and headed straight to the shower, not willing to spend a single moment longer than necessary surrounded by his alcoholic sweat. When he was finished, he joyously found that—although everything soft core and Jasper related was missing from his porn folder—he still had some things remaining. He loaded up his rarely used Degradation file, and jacked off to images that definitely suited his mood.

. . . . .

"Jasper called me last night," Alice whispered conspiratorially to Edward. "He said that he would come tonight."

Edward snorted.

"What?" Alice said, before realising what she'd said. "Yes, ha ha. Grow up." She rolled her eyes. "He sounded like he was in a very good mood."

_Asshole._

"Of course he's in a good mood. He just managed to secure the company buyout for a third of the price! He's fucking thrilled."

"Calm down," she whispered, reminding him that there were ears around. "Dad was selling at a loss anyway—it's not that big a deal."

"Yes, but it's the principle of the thing. He _used_ us."

"You're just pissed off that someone is actually smarter than you. And able to apply themselves." She took a deep sip of her drink whilst Edward seethed. "It's about time you learnt what jealousy is like, brother."

Edward glared at her, too angry to speak without screaming, too aware of their potential audience to make a scene. Frustrated and angry, knew he was in no condition to spend the day civilly.

"I think I've made enough of an appearance for today."

Alice looked as though she was about to complain, but then thought better of it. "Get some sleep," was all she said, before actually giving him a real kiss on the cheek and a gentle shoulder squeeze.

Edward left, looking forward to an evening of undisturbed broodiness.

. . . . .

**Day Twelve**

This was it. One last day and Edward wouldn't have to speak to his family for another year. He shot out of bed, eager to have it over and done with. By the end of the day, he could forget about celebrating, his family, and... all that shit that happened with Jasper. If he really wanted, he wouldn't have to be nice to another person for the next three hundred and sixty days.

He didn't jerk off—didn't feel like it—just went straight for his coffee. Although he did shower, he put very little effort into his appearance, opting for a casual outfit of jeans and a couple of sweaters rather than the expected suit.

He arrived at the house to find it full of people he didn't want to see, and voices he didn't want to have to listen to. Epiphany Eve was always a seated affair, extravagant in that servers carved perfectly roasted meats at each table in the room. Edward approached Alice first, wanting to know which table he was at so he could sit, and drink.

"You look like shit," she blurted out.

"Where am I?" he answered, ignoring her insult.

"Table three, by the east wall. Next to Jasper." She winked.

Edward scowled. He hadn't expected Jasper to be there. "I refuse to sit next to him."

"You can't refuse. Remember, you're the one that asked for my help with this. Besides, Jasper is already seated and has seen the place card for you next to him."

Edward cursed, realizing he'd forgotten all about having recruited Alice to a cause he was no longer interested in pursuing. "Damn it," he swore.

"What is wrong with you tonight?" Alice huffed before walking away and distancing herself from his mood.

Edward got himself a double scotch and made his way to his table. He could see the shaggy blond hair and felt anger begun to seep though his being. He was amazed at the audacity of Jasper—showing his face after what he had done. Edward concluded he was only present because of whatever Alice had said to him.

Almost as if Jasper could sense him, he turned and watched Edward approach. He didn't look under slept, or in any way affected by what had passed between them. His tuxedo was pristine and crisp, a stark contrast to how Edward felt. He wished he'd worn his Armani now.

Then Jasper smiled.

It was not a vibrant or brilliant smile, but one that looked almost like an apology—touched with shame and remorse. That threw Edward straight away as he hadn't been expecting Jasper to be amicable toward him. He'd been prepared for almost every other reaction, but not this. He wondered if maybe he'd somehow misinterpreted what had happened, if Jasper had never done anything awful. But then he remembered; Jasper was a strategist and could therefore not be trusted. So the smile made Edward angry, and when he reached the table, he pulled his seat out noisily, glaring with hostile fury at the man beside him.

Jasper didn't look contrite or even perturbed by Edward's demeanour. His eyes were pleading as he began to talk. "Before you say anything, I want you to listen to what I have to say." Edward scoffed into his scotch and then took a deep sip. Jasper ignored him and continued, "I consider myself to be very good at my job, and have not once failed to get what I want. I'll admit that the tactics I employed in this particular situation were... not honorable, but before I apologize, I need you to know that I could have achieved the lower sale price without ever involving you." Again, Edward scoffed. He wanted to glare at Jasper, but the expression he was wearing was too genuine, too earnest for him to resist. So instead, he scowled at the table, showing his displeasure with how frequently he drank from his glass and how noisily he crushed the ice between his teeth.

"I'm sorry that you think I used you." It didn't escape Edward's notice that he wasn't really apologizing for what he did. "This is the first time that I've ever stuffed up like this. I wasn't just trying to force a lower price, I was also trying to... trying to get you to want to be with me." He glanced up, seemingly checking Edward's reaction to this information. "It was supposed to be so simple: advance, retreat, make you jealous, lure you in. But I fucked up. I didn't think about it enough, and I didn't think you'd react the way you did."

Edward took another long drink of his scotch, watching Jasper carefully as he did it. "You're saying that you didn't blow me just so I'd ask my father to accept the lower offer?" Jasper nodded. "But you were still trying to manipulate me?" Again, Jasper nodded, though this time, he looked abashed. "So, why would that make any difference?" Edward asked challengingly, returning to his scotch.

Jasper sighed quietly before answering. "I've never seen anything wrong with what I do, at least, not until I upset you. Usually, I just don't care—I do what I have to do and get out. But this time, I wanted more, so I had to do more, you understand?" Edward didn't meet his eyes, content to let him ramble. "I'm sorry." This time Edward did look, because that was the straight out apology he'd been waiting for.

Jasper looked sincere as he kept his head high and awaited Edward's reaction. It struck Edward how he appeared too composed; where was the panic, the involuntary bodily reactions? Perhaps he was only acting again—doing what _had to be done_? There was no way Edward could trust this man, no matter how genuine he appeared.

"What's changed?" he countered.

Jasper slumped back in his chair, his unbuttoned suit falling open and literally baring his chest. "I've only just realized that I've never wanted to keep the person before. I'm usually gone, so I've never had to see the consequences. But this time, I didn't want to leave, so now I've seen. And I realize just how fucked up that is."

Edward laughed into his glass. He placed it down on the table and laughed harder. Jasper looked horrified, having no idea what was going on. "Why are you laughing," he asked anxiously.

Edward snorted as Jasper's words set him off again. Eventually he calmed down though. "You only just realized?"

"Yes."

"So, you could say, you had an epiphany?"

"I guess," Jasper answered, suddenly unsure.

"You had an epiphany, on Epiphany Eve." Edward couldn't suppress the laugh and it started all over again, only this time, Jasper laughed, too. The snorts died down into an awkward silence, and Jasper shifted nervously in his chair. Edward enjoyed watching him squirm.

He wasn't entirely sure what to make of Jasper now. He was still pissed, but he wasn't completely impervious to his story. And on some level, he could even relate. How often did he sit up on his pedestal and treat people like shit, hardly ever giving a second thought for how he made them feel?

Plus, the guy _was_ his living, breathing fantasy.

"You really are moving here?" he asked, tentatively accepting the proverbial olive branch.

"Yeah, I am."

"Maybe we should just see how things go?" Edward suggested, enjoying the complete absence of strategy in his idea.

"I think I'd like to try that," Jasper answered.

. . . . .

**And so it was that twelve days changed Edward Cullen's life forever. He forgave Jasper, and eventually they rekindled the spark between them. Now, every year, Edward celebrates the twelve days of Christmas his own special way. While still attending the Cullen festivities, he also has his own traditions. Like others, every night for those twelve days, he lights candles, although his are in the bedroom. He gives gifts daily, exclusively the gift of pleasure to his partner. And finally, every morning when he awakes, he makes sure to be thankful for everything he has.**

**The story has another happy ending, as well. For Edward finally did find a place for himself in the world, a use for his talents, and the drive to succeed. You see, Jasper had seen something in Edward that not many others had noticed; he had an eye for detail. As his first Christmas gift to Edward, Jasper bought him a camera.**

**Edward now spends his days taking pictures, then editing them into shows for clients, making a living doing what he loves. Jasper assists in his capacity as a business strategist, and occasionally as a model.**

**For their second Christmas together, Edward made one for Jasper.**

**They beat off to it frequently.**

. . . . .

**THE END.**

**Mopstyle and Revrag helped with some beta stuff and prereads to approve the level of crackiness. Happy Holidays everyone!**

**xxx Frenchie**


End file.
